Westview survives Black Tornado scare

The Wildcats take their first lead on Patrick Acosta's game-winning 16-yard FG with 0:04 left for the 27-24 victory

By Bill Wilson

The Beaverton Valley Times, Sep 21, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Jonathan House / The Beaverton Valley Times

Westview quarterback Josh Hill dives for the pylon on his 6-yard touchdown run that drew the Wildcats to 10-9 before halftime of their 27-24 win.

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ROCK CREEK — Having cruised to three easy victories to start the season, Westview needed a test in its final tune-up for the Metro League.

North Medford provided just that — and then some.

Patrick Acosta kicked a field goal with four seconds left to lift the No. 2-ranked Wildcats to a thrilling 27-24 victory over the Black Tornado on Friday at Westview High School. Prior to Acosta’s game-winning 16-yard field goal, the Wildcats, who improved to 4-0, never led and constantly had to fight back against a determined North Medford team that gave them all they could handle before falling to 1-2 on the season.

“Actually, I’m glad this happened,” Westview wide receiver/defensive back Spencer Arns said. “It shows we can face adversity and show some heart and do it. We needed this. Every game will be like this in the Metro.”

None had been like it previously for the Wildcats, who came in having outscored its opponents 116-35 and won by no fewer than 21 points in three away games.

“We had an off game, but we stepped up at the end,” Westview lineman Demetri Enesi said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do. This just woke us up.”

North Medford provided the alarm, negating a size disadvantage on the line with quick slants and short passes to the flats that helped the Southwest Conference team build a 10-0 lead before the Wildcats managed a first down. Westview closed to 10-9 by halftime and shored up its defense in the second half but gave up two touchdowns on special teams — one on a fumbled punt return and another on a kickoff return immediately following a Wildcat touchdown and 2-point conversion had tied the game at 17-17.

Westview running back Kaale Papas’ 5-yard touchdown run with 9:55 left knotted the game at 24-24. The Wildcats forced punts on the next two Black Tornado possessions and got a 42-yard gain on the second return behind a solid wall of blockers to the North Medford 18-yard line to set up the winning field goal.

Papas, who ran 18 times for 66 yards, carried four times to the Black Tornado 7 before Josh Hill’s quarterback keeper up the middle took the Wildcats to the 1. Papas nearly scored the go-ahead touchdown but was stopped a foot short on third down. Westview let the clock run down to 0:07 before calling timeout and sending out Acosta for the game-winner.

“They gave us a great football game,” Arns said. “We came out flat. I’m not sure why. Maybe because we hadn’t faced anything tough yet.”

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